


Changing

by Subarukun



Category: Cat's Eye (Manga)
Genre: Choices, Family, Gen, Introspection, Pre-Canon, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-11
Updated: 2012-09-11
Packaged: 2017-11-14 00:57:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/509619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subarukun/pseuds/Subarukun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before graduation Toshio tells Hitomi he wants to join the police force and Rui finds her sister sulking on their balcony. Their lives are going to change soon and it's best to be sure about your choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changing

When Rui entered Hitomi’s room to check on her little sister, she found her standing on their small balcony. She knew something must have happened, because Hitomi had sneaked back into their flat without saying a word or letting her know she'd returned. Her schoolbag had been carelessly tossed into a corner of the room and she was still wearing her high school uniform. 

Rui stepped towards the open door of the balcony, giving Hitomi a moment to acknowledge her presence. Hitomi didn’t turn though. She kept staring down, watching the street, her face obscured by her long black tresses. So Rui leaned against the door frame and waited. After a moment she sighed and said: “Can I ask what happened?”

Hitomi gave her a side-way glance, probably asking herself what to tell her adult sister. “It’s nothing.”

It made Rui chuckle lightly. Hitomi was never any good at evading. She stepped outside and put her arms on the balustrade right beside Hitomi’s and looked down to the street instead of at her. She remembered the way her mother had always carefully coaxed herself out of sulking states. Happy and bittersweet memories of a family life long gone. In a sense, she was the mother now. It was Rui who had to take care of both Hitomi and Ai. “I know you, Hitomi. You don’t sneak past me when you don’t want to hide something.” She gave her another moment to start talking on her own, then added: “So what happened? Did you have another fight with Toshio?”

Hitomi shook her head. “No. We didn’t fight.”

“But?”

“I don’t know. Graduation is coming up. Everyone is deciding what to do after school. I feel strange.” Hitomi turned fully around to look back into her room. “Things are changing.”

Rui watched her sister sideways and nodded. “Are you sad that we’re moving soon?”

“No.” Hitomi shook her head again. This time more vehemently. “No. It’s going to be better.” She smiled. “We’ll have our own little café.”

Her sisters smile was honest and excited and Rui had to smile, too. “We’ll have enough rooms for all of us. Ai is growing so fast.” And the café would only be the first step into their new life. A life that hopefully would bring them closer to finding information about their father - and to get back what should have belonged to his daughters all along.

There was a reason the café was placed near to a local police station. They had talked it over more than once. Soon their life would change.

“So what's the problem?”

“Toshio wants to be an inspector. He wants to join the police force. He says it's his dream.”

Rui nodded, letting the information sink in. So that had upset her sister. Toshio was going to be a police officer in a few years. And Hitomi would probably have to stay away from him for good reasons. “I’m sorry, Hitomi,” she said, knowing her words were inadequate. Then she sighed. She had always feared that there would be complications. Hitomi was still so young - and Ai was even younger. So how could they make a decision of these proportions that would potentially get all of them into danger and at the very least in trouble with the law? “Do you want out?” She had to ask. Hitomi should have the right to back out if she really wanted to.

But to her relieve Hitomi didn’t even hesitate, but shook her head immediately. “No. This is important, Rui. I want to know the truth. I want those paintings back where they belong. Even if we don’t do anything, how do we know there aren’t people out there looking for us? We have to do this.”

“I’m glad you think so, “ Rui whispered. “I think so, too.”

“Maybe one day, we’ll have to give Ai the same choice, right? She’s still so young.”

Hitomi was still so very young herself, Rui thought. One day she might live to regret the path they had chosen for themselves. But Rui had to look to the future, and to what was best for their family. 

“Let’s do this, Hitomi.”

Her little sister answered with a decisive nod and smiled.

The future was theirs - whatever trouble would come their way.


End file.
